Refrigerator element and method of producing same



Feb. 14,-1933. G. H. RossEBo ET Al.. 1,897,957

REFRIGERATOR ELEMENT AND METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME Filed Sept. 26, 1930"Fran/f Hake,

BY nav.

A TTORNEY` Patented Feb. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE y GEORGEH. IROSSEBO AND FRANK HOKE, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA1 ASSIGNORS TOHOLCOMIB & HOKE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, A

CORPORATION OF INDIANA REFRIGERATOR ELEMENT AND METHOD OF PRODUCING-SAME Application flled September 26, 1930. Serial No. 484,479.

The present application relates to a transparent non-frosting panelprimarily intended for use as a refrigerator element, and to a method ofproducing the same. The primary obj ect of the invention is to provide apanel of the type which is used in display refrigerators, but of suchconstruction that the low temperature of the refrigerator Will notresult in the condensation of moisture lfrom the Warmer outer air uponany portion of the transparent panel. A further object of the yinvention is to provide a novel method of constructing such a panel.Further objects of the invention will appear as the descriptionproceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, ourinvention'may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, and may consist of the steps hereinI disclosed, but it is to beunderstood that the disclosure is illustrative only, and that change maybe made in the speciiic construction or in the specific steps of theprocess so long as the scopeof the appended claim is not violated. Insaid drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a refrigerator embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmental transverse section through a portion thereof;

Fig. 3 is a fragmental longitudinal section of a detail; and

Fig. 4 is a broken plan of a detail.

In the drawing, We have shown a display refrigerator and have indicatedthe same at 10, said refrigerator being provided With a transparentpanel 11 set in the inclined front face 12 thereof.

The panel l1 comprises a substantially continuous frame 13 formed ofsoft rubber, or

other similar material, the corners of saidA frame being formed withslots 14, Within the substantially continuous grooves 15 formed aboutthe inner surface of said frame;Y In

noted that the lips 17 'at the inner and outer edges of the frame 13 aremuch thinner than the spacing lips 17.

The corners of the panes are received in the slots 14 and preferably thelips 17 and 17 are suitably-cemented to the edges of the glass panes. Ifdesired, the portions 14 of the slots 14 may be filled or calked withsuitable cement or with battery sealer.

` One or more foraminous cartridges 18 are positioned between each pairof panes, said cartridges containing a moisture-absorbent material andbeing preferably secured to the frame 13 in any desired manner.Obviously, the cartridges 1S may be positioned before the glass panes 16are located in the grooves, or, in order to preserve the absorptiveeifect of the cartridges as much as possible, they may be removed fromtheir air-tight containers only after the panes have been positioned,and, the rubber frame being stretched away from the panes for thepurpose, may be slipped into place as shown. It Will be apparent thatthe ab'ove outlined steps provide a unit comprising, in the presentinstance, three spaced panes of glass the edges of which are sealed by arubber frame to provide between said panes substantially air tightchambers. The air contained in said chambers is now Withdrawn throughsuitable ports (not shown) in the frame 13, and is dehydrated in anysuitable manner. IVe have found that one suitable method of dehydratingthe air so Withdrawn is to pass it directly .from the exhaust pump intoa region of sub-zero I temperature. In such region, the moisturesuspended in the air is congealed and precipitated out ofthe air asfrost. The dehydrated air is then permitted to lloW back into tliechambers between the panes 16. Of course it will be obvious that,insteadv of dehydrating the air Withdrawn from the chambers andreturning the same air to the chambers, previously dehydrated air, orany other substantially mois ture-free gas may be substituted for theair Withdrawn from said chambers Without violating the scope of the'present invention.

The exhaust ports having been closed and suitably sealed the panel isinserted in the socket provided therefor in the surface 12 of therefrigerator 10 and frame members 19 are secured to said surface 12,said members 19 overlapping the frame 13 to hold the same in place. Theframe members 19 may be drawn up by screws 20.

It `will be obvious that a panel of the character disclosed will beabsolutely non-frosting. Of course the dead air spaces between the panes16 have a suiiicient insulating effect substantially to prevent ancondensation of Y atmospheric moisture on t e outer pane 16. As a matterof fact, condensation of moisture on that pane would be substantiallypre- 15 vented even if the air between the panes were moisture laden'. v

Furthermore, any moisture which may, under unusual circumstances,condense on the outer pane is easily removable. The temperature of theair within the chambers between the panes, however, is of courseprogressively reduced from the outer t0 the inner chamber. If there wereany substantial amount of moisture in the air contained a' in saidchambers, such moisture would be deposited on the panes, and it would beimpossible to remove the moisture from such panes without completelydisassembling the panel. The present invention prevents any depositionof moistureon the inner surfaces `of any of the panes. l

If desired, the top surface of therefrigerator may also be providedwitha transparent panel and, in some cases, itymay be found desirable toform this panel also in accordance with the present invention.; ,If so,a ledge 21 may be provided at a point below the upper surface of therefrigerator and extending completely about the inner rim of saidsurface. Upon said ledge21there may be sup-C ported a. frame 13 for thereception of planes 16, said frame being similar to the frame 13 exceptfor the outer `lip 17 which is omitted ,from the frame 13" for the sakeof appearance. Preferably, the outer pane 16 of the top panel should beprovided with a bevelled edge 22, and of course this edge should not becovered by a rubber lip.

We claim as our invention: v

The combination with a polygonal plate, of an endless strip of resilientmaterial, such strip being formed, upon its inner surface, with acontinuous groove adapted to receive the edges of said plate, and saidstrip further being formed with a plurality of slots therethrough vforthe reception of thc corners f' of said plate. p -f In witness whereof,we have hereunto set .our hands at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 23rd dayof September, A. D. one thousand nine hundred and th' K f GE RGE H.ROSSEBO.

FRANK HOKE.

